Curtain-stretcher.



Patented May I3, [902.

H. E. HOWARD.

CURTAIN STRETCHER.

(Application filed Dec. 23, 1901.)

(No Model.)

TTED STATES PATENT, OFFICE.

HARRY E. HOlVARD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CURTAlN-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 699,685, at ay 13, 902-Application filed December 23,1901. Serial No. 86,883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known-that I,I-IARP.Y E. Howauma citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Curtain-Stretchers; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates'to improvements in the side bars and attaching-pinsof curtainstretcher frames or devices commonly used for drying washedlace and other fabric curtains, so that they will dry quickly andwithout shrinkage or distortion.

The object of my improvements is to provide a curtain-stretcher side barhaving an open slot extending longitudinally therethrough, so formedthat it may be cheaply manufactured, possess maximum strength anddurability, and furnish a suitable bearing for the attaching-pins usedin conjunction therewith; also to provide an adjustable pin adapted toengage and securely hold the curtain and so formed that it will transmitthe strain or tension exerted upon it by the stretched curtain directlyagainst the front wall of the slotted portion of the bar, such strainbeing first distributed uniformly on the base of the pin instead of onone side or edge of such base, as in other devices of a similarcharacter.

A further object is to provide an attachingpin having its point soformed that it will present an acute angle at the portion engaging thefabric of the curtain, whereby it will prevent the latter from slippingoff the point of the pin through the movement of the curtain by the windor otherwise and will resist the tendency of the pin to bend down oroutwardly, to which vertical pins are liable.

An additional object is to furnish a pin which may be readily grasped bythe fingers in moving it back and forth in the slot, thus permittingquick and easy movement or adjustment without twisting the base in theslot and without danger of pricking the fingers.

Another object is to provide a pin which will bear frictionally againstthe bar when not in use, so that it will not slide out of position, butwhen subjected to slight strain may be laterally adjusted.

Having the aforegoing special objects and others of economy and generalutilityin mind, I have designed the device shown in the accompanyingdrawings, which form a part of this application, and in which Figure lis a perspective View of a curtain stretcher side bar (in part) providedwith my improvements. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the same. Fig. 3 is aperspective view of the preferred form of my improved attaching-pin, andFig. 4 is a perspective view of a modified form of pin.

Referring to the drawings in detail, A rcpreseuts a section of a woodside bar of a stretcherframe which is provided with an open verticalslota extendinglongitudinally therethrough near one edge, which israbbeted to form an extension at onits lower side and an overhangingflange e ch the upper side of said edge. The slot-opening a extendsbetween the extension and the flange. It will be noted that the slot ais parallel with the front edge of the bar, thus bringing it at rightangles to the line of strain, which is horizontal, as indicated by thebroken line a: w in Fig. 2.

The attaching-pin, which forms a part of this invention, is formed of asingle piece of Wire bent to form a base B of rectangular contour, alsobent to form a cross-bar or portion 1), extending inwardly to the centerof the base, a portion b extending outwardly and downwardly and aportion 11 bent upwardly and inwardly at an acute angle with the part band terminating in a sharp point.

The several bends necessary to form the parts 2), b and b are at suchangles that when-the curtain is placed over the part b and stretched tothe opposite side bar the strain will be exerted on a planesubstantially horizontal to the centerof the base of the pin, thusdistributing the tension as near as may be equally throughout such base,and thereby causing the latter to bear uniformly against the front wallof the slot. The maintenance of the tension in a horizontal plane isprovided in part by the shape of the 'pin and in part by the extensiona, on the upper side of which bears the outer or hook porparts I) and bto frictionally engage the lower edge of the flange a as shown in Fig.3; but

' when pull is exerted on the outer portion of the pin this bend willbecome flattened sufficiently to permit the lateral adjustment of thepin in the slot.

In the modified form of pin shown in Fig. 4 I extend the part b entirelyacross the center of the base of the pin and bend it back upon itselffor half of its length before forming the part b but in other respectsthe pin is'the same as shown in the other figures. This modified formadds somewhat to the strength of the device and serves to moreeffectually distribute the strain equally on the base of the pin.

In devices of the kind herein described heretofore patented, so far as Iam aware, the form and arrangement of the slots or grooves in the barsand the form and arrangement of the attaching-pins have been such thatthe strain has been exerted on one side wall of the slot and usuallyinaplane across the grain of the wood, as indicated by broken lines 3/ 'yand 2' .2 in Fig. 2, thus making easy the breaking of said Wall orwalls. In some of wall of the slot.

pins is made before the curtain is attached, it is important to have thepins remain in their adjusted positions until the curtain is hookedthereby, and this I provide by the frictional engagement between theparts If and a in the manner described.

While I do not claim that the strain on the pin will be distributed withexact uniformity throughout its base, such will be the effect,in asubstantial degree, of the construction and arrangement set forth.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a curtain-stretcher, a bar having an open vertical slot extendinglongitudinally therethrough, an attaching-pin formed of a single pieceof wire bent to form a base portion adapted to slidingly fit said slotin the bar, bent to form an upwardly-projecting hump between the pointand the base, said hump adapted to frictionally engage one of the wallsof the slot, and said pin also bent to form an acute-angled hook, theangle of which is substantially in the same plane as the center of thebase portion, substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

2. In a curtain-stretcher, a stretcher-bar having a narrow vertical slotextending therethrough near one edge, and with an extension. on thelower side of said edge and a stretcher-pin having a base fitting saidslot, and provided with a bend adapted to engage the portion of the baroverhanging said slot, and having a hook portion adapted to engage anextension on the lower side of the edge of the bar, substantially as setforth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY E. HOWARD. lVitnesses:

F. BENJAMIN, W. B. J UDD.

